The Mystery of Bella Goth
by crazylily0
Summary: Taylor is a simple girl that's still trying to figure her life out at the age of thirty. When she receives an inheritance from her late grandmother she travels to Pleasantview to stay in her grandmother's house. But she finds more there than she bargained for, and it leads her on a wild goose chase to figure out what exactly happened to Bella Goth.
1. The Inheritance

So here I was, on my own and trying to find my calling in life. "Go to college," my mother had drilled through my head as a teenager. "You'll be able to raise a good family and have a much better life that way." But college was never for me. I didn't know what I wanted to do with my life, but going to college where drinking nights always took place, parting in-between exams, and rolling my eyes at all the idiotic and desperate guys who wanted to flirt with me wasn't something I wanted to do. Besides, I wouldn't know where to start in college. Of course they had the option of being undeclared until I figured it out, but I had a feeling I would never figure it out.

I was reaching my late twenties, still single and having no plans to change that. I had met a few guys, but it never went anywhere. Maybe I just wasn't willing to trust, but it didn't matter. Guys weren't worth it.

But last week I heard some news that changed my whole perception of my life. Not because it changed my life or gave me insight I never had before, but it gave me new hope.

My mother came to visit me, and she seemed distressed. "What's wrong?" I asked her.

She seemed lost for words. I was thinking she was going to have another talk with me about how my life was going nowhere and I was nearly thirty with no children or even a boyfriend for that matter. I heard that often enough. But today she seemed upset for a different reason.

I pushed my long, dark hair behind my ear. My hair was about the only part of me I liked, because my skin was fair from fair and it was very pale. If I didn't know any better I would say I was related to a clan of vampires somewhere down the line. But I had hazel eyes, and I supposed vampires had red. When I motioned this to my mother she just shook her head at me. She never was good with getting jokes and hated it when I "disgraced the family line."

"Your grandmother has been ill for a very long time," she sighed.

I nodded, not understanding why she was upset. This wasn't news. She had been ill for many years. I thought we were over this now. She even told us she knew she would die soon and we shouldn't mourn for her because she would be in a better place. Why was this suddenly getting to her so hard?

"It's alright, mother," I told her as I put my hand on top of hers. "Remember what she said about her being in a better place. Soon she'll be out of her suffering. And she's lived a long, good life. It's a miracle she's lived this long."

"I know she said that, and she is out of her suffering."

I stared at her for a while, trying to comprehend what she was saying. "You mean… she's gone?"

"I'm afraid so," she said as she wiped away a tear. "She died last week. I suppose she's in a better place."

"How come I wasn't informed of this?"

"I didn't want to worry you, dear. It's been hard for all of us, and since I've heard I've been really busy and trying to do what I can. I haven't had the time or thought about it for that matter."

"Well, when's the funeral?"

She sighed. "That's the thing. Your grandmother was a very _interesting_ person." Yeah, interesting was a good word to use to describe my grandmother. "She didn't want a funeral. She stated in her will that she wanted no funeral because she didn't want people to join together to mourn for her when she was in a better place. She also said she wanted to be cremated and then she wanted the ashes buried in the backyard behind her house so she could remain with the memories of the house forever. You knew she was always fond of that old house."

I nodded, finding that a little weird. I felt bad for whoever had to live there. Knowing you were walking on a dead person, even if it wasn't their actual body, was just weird.

"Well, that's interesting. Why do I care? I'll miss grams terribly, but we all need to move on with our lives. That's what she would have wanted. Why do you think she didn't want the funeral?"

She sighed. "Your heart has turned cold, Taylor," she told me with a look. Well, she told me that often enough. I blew it off like it was nothing. "If anyone could learn a lesson from grams, it's you. You still dwell on your father."

"I didn't even know the guy," I mumbled.

"Well, don't end up like him. He had major commitment issues which is why you grew up without a father. You're going down his same road."

"I don't sleep with every person I meet," I said in defense.

She shook her head at me, looking annoyed I had even brought that up. "I came here to talk about your grandma's will. But if you're not interested I can leave."

"What did it say?" I asked, not really caring since I was sure I wasn't getting much, if anything. She didn't really like me. She was just like my mother; complaining I was going nowhere with my life and I would never change at this rate.

"She left you a little something that surprised us all."

"Really?" I asked as I nearly spilled the coffee I was holding. "What did she leave me?"

She seemed to be thinking about how to reply, like it upset her. Then she finally replied, "The house."

I stared at her for a while. Now I understood why she seemed upset. My mother kind of had a history. She lived on the street for the longest time because my grandmother didn't care enough to help her. Once she did get back on her feet she lived with my aunt for a while, but they never got along. She then fell for my father only to discover he loved her sister and was engaged to yet another woman, loving her for her father's money. But she ended up with me, and my father never cared enough to be a part of my life. I supposed she was bitter my grandmother left the house to me when she felt she should have got it, being everything that she went through.

"I don't want it," I told her quickly. "I know you want it, and you can have it. It's not mine and it never was. I don't want it anyway. I bet her spirit still haunts the place."

She sighed. "This isn't about me, Taylor. Your grandmother had her reasons for giving it to you, and I have a house now. You need it more than I do. I would needed her help then, not now."

"What's her reasoning?" I asked, a bit afraid.

"She wants you to marry and have a family. I suppose she thinks moving back to Pleasantview with a nice house with accomplish that."

I shook my head. I should have known. "Well, that's never going to happen. You can have the house. I'm perfectly happy right here."

She shook her head. "Then sell the place, because it's yours. I'm not going to go against your grandmother's wishes. And to be honest I hope you don't sell it, because I'm hoping maybe her intentions were right. I lived there for many years, and I loved the place. There are so many good people who live there. You need to find something to do with your life, Taylor, and staying here is accomplishing nothing. It's time for a change in scenery."

She got up, leaving me to chew on that. "I have to go. I love you and I'll see you later."

I watched her walk out the door and then I looked down at my old table. I lived in a small and run-down apartment. I could really use a change of scenery. My landlord was very mean and my neighbors weren't much better. But then there was this little voice at the back of my head that said, "But HE lives there."

I knew exactly who HE was. My mother hadn't spoken to him in many years, and I hadn't seen him since I was a teenager. He came to wish me a happy sixteenth birthday. He stayed for a total of two hours and then was gone again. I hadn't seen him since. I didn't want to see him at that. But I spent my early childhood in Pleasantview. Maybe moving there wouldn't be so bad.


	2. Small Town Rumors

The place was even more amazing from the inside. It was at least three times as big as even the house I grew up in. My grandmother definitely had money. Unfortunately, money was all she had when it came to my mother, so I never really saw her much as a child. They didn't even start speaking again until was I was almost a teenager, and even then things were far from perfect.

"Do you need some help unpacking?" my mother asked me. She had been standing behind me, as she insisted on driving up with me in case anything went wrong.

"No thanks," I told her. I wanted to add, 'I don't really have much to unpack,' but then decided that wouldn't go over well with her. She would find some way to make sure it was my fault. Everything always was.

I could tell she wanted to get out and take a drive, since this was where she lived for the longest time. She probably wanted to look around.

"Go out and explore the town," I told her. "Leave the unpacking to me."

I thought she would argue, but she just nodded and then headed out. It looked like I had a lot of unpacking to do.

Once my mother left and all the unpacking was done, I was free to do whatever I wanted. It was nice that she left not only the house to me, but also the stuff that was in it. I got everything for doing nothing. Who could complain?

I came outside and rested against the fence, listening to the still night air. I never heard still night air from my old apartment. It was always blasting music, yelling, or noisy cars. This was so much more peaceful.

I jumped when I heard something behind me, and then turned around to see a man. He looked about my age, maybe a bit older. He had dark hair like myself but I could tell from the house he came out of and the clothes he was wearing he didn't just inherit a house like I did. He most definitely had some money.

"Hello," I said with a smile.

He gave me a weird look, as if I had asked him his life story and he didn't want to tell me. He finally nodded. I wondered why he was out here, because I didn't see a trash bag or something.

"I'm Taylor Lothario," I told him. "I just moved here."

He once again gave me a weird look. "I thought an older lady lived in that house." Well, at least now I knew he knew how to talk.

"Yeah, that was my grandmother. She recently passed away and gave the house to me."

"Wow, some inheritance," he said in shock. "I'm Alexander Goth. I live here with my family."

I nodded. Why did I have a feeling all the guys my age in this town would be married? Well, except for guys like my father. Not that I was looking for anything, but I at least needed someone to flirt with without feeling guilty.

"You must have a pretty nice job to afford a house like that."

He laughed. "Actually, mine was an inheritance as well. However, I work hard and make quite a bit of money to pay other bills than the house payment. And having a family isn't cheap. Plus my sister is always getting herself into some kind of trouble that I have to bail her out of." He was kind of talking to himself more than to me. I just nodded, having no idea who his sister was. "But I'm a businessman. I work a lot, so don't expect to see me around. I actually have to go. I just got an emergency call. There's always an emergency with those idiots," he added under his breath.

I nodded as I watched him leave in a car that looked just about as nice as his house. I wished I could afford something like that. I shook my head, telling myself I just got a house for doing nothing so I shouldn't complain.

I was only there for a week when I started to realize I needed to find a job. The house might have been free, but bills and food weren't. It was nice to check rent off, but rent was only a part of it.

I went to the only place I knew I could actually work without having to worry about what the job was. I stepped into the gas station, the smell of stale food and gas fumes from the outside all around. I sighed, telling myself this was all I would ever be good for. It was nearly eleven, and I assumed whatever poor soul was working this late probably didn't want to see me. But I had a feeling this wouldn't be a hard job to get in a town this small.

I came up to the front and saw a man medium height with an old shirt on reading a magazine. He looked up at me, but didn't smile. I wasn't surprised.

"Can I help you, ma'am?" he asked me, looking like he really didn't want me to be here.

"I'm wondering if you're hiring," I told him with no emotion.

He seemed to look me down, and I wondered if he was the manager. "We are," he finally said, "but it's for the graveyard shift."

"That's fine," I told him. He seemed surprised, and I bet he was happy because this meant he either didn't have to work graveyards anymore or at least got to share the burden with someone.

"Well, alright then." He pulled out a piece of paper and handed it to me. It was the application, and I figured I totally had this. Who else would be willing to work graveyards at a gas station?

"I'm Nick Broke by the way. When you bring the application back you can ask for me. I'm usually here." He had said it with kind of a dissatisfied tone. I guess I didn't blame him.

Instead of giving him my name I just headed out. He would figure it out soon enough, once I filled out the application.

It didn't take me long to fill it out, then I left it on my desk as I went to sleep. I wondered what type of adventures were waiting for me in this new town. I needed a new start. I wanted more than I had before.

I came the next afternoon to hand back in the application. He actually gave me a smile this time, and I was surprised. He looked over my application and then nodded. "Are you related to Don Lothario by any chance?" he asked.

"I don't know who you're talking about," I said with a completely straight face. I didn't need to go around telling people I was his daughter that he never saw. That was asking for a disaster. Besides, as far as I was concerned he wasn't my father.

"I'm just curious. I don't know the guy personally, but this is such a small town I've seen him around. Plus my dad hates the guy because he used to be in love with this girl that he was apparently engaged to. But it didn't end very well when she found out he was a total player. There's a lot of old drama in this town. Be careful."

I nodded, not needing to be told that. I knew all about the drama that surrounded this town. My mother had been a part of it, thereby producing me. But I was a little surprised to hear he knew part of the story of my mother and the girl my father used to be engaged to. Apparently it wasn't a secret. Well, that was just great.

"If I hire you right now can you come in tomorrow?" he asked.

I was a bit surprised by this. I had never gotten a job THIS fast. "But you didn't even give me an interview," I pointed out.

"We're a small gas station in a small town, looking for someone to cover the nightshift. We're kind of desperate."

I smirked and then nodded. "Very well. I'll be here tomorrow."

"Seven o'clock. I'll be training you. Don't be late. It will be a long night."

I nodded and then headed out, thankful that went so well. Now I had a job, even if it wasn't the best.

I watched some TV until work, and then I headed out. I guess I didn't need to worry about doing everything perfect if they were this desperate, but I was the type of person that didn't just cruise through life. Despite what my mother thought I wasn't like my father.

"Welcome to the graveyard shift," Nick told me with somewhat of an evil smile. "I will be your conductor this evening."

I rolled my eyes at him. "I'm so scared."

"Oh, you should be. The thing about the graveyard shift is it's terribly boring. I usually find something to read to pass the time. Occasionally we'll have a customer, but not very often. I don't even see why we stay open. But sadly that's not something I can control. Just beware of buglers. I've had to deal with one once and I was scared for my life. Just give them the money and then press the silent alarm. Of course that's not something we can train you on, but you get the idea."

I nodded. I hoped I never had to deal with that.

"Ever worked graveyard before?" he asked.

I nodded. "I used to be an overnight stocker at a grocery store. I've also covered fast food for as long as they stay open."

"Well, at least I know you can stay up. But there's also the issue of being bored out of your mind with a gas station, so be careful."

The next couple hours were really boring, just as he said. But on the Brightside, at least I had someone to keep me company at least for tonight. Before I always had something to do so it was much easier to stay awake.

I finally decided to make conversation. "So, how long have you lived in Pleasantview?" I asked.

"All my life," he said kind of bitterly. "I was born and raised here, and then I never left."

"Why not?" I asked.

He sighed. "Well, when everyone expects you to fail you start to give them what they want. In the end I landed myself here, while my brother lived it up and is pretty much the family trophy."

"I'm sorry," I said kind of low, not knowing what else to say. I certainly didn't have that problem, since I didn't have any siblings.

"Are you new here?" he asked.

"Yeah. I got an inheritance from my grandmother when she passed away and so I moved here to claim the house."

"Really?" he asked in shock. "Well, that's nice. I wish I got an inheritance. My family is kind of poor, hence the last name Broke."

I laughed, hoping he was trying to be funny. I would rather have a last name like that then my stupid father's last name. Then again, I could eventually change it. If I ever did get married, that might be one of the main reasons.

"So where do you live?" he asked.

"Over on Sim lane," I replied.

He gave me wide eyes. "Sim lane? Those are top of the line houses. Some inheritance."

I smiled. "Yep. I guess I got lucky."

"So do you know the Goths?" he asked casually.

"Sort of," I replied. "I met Alexander once, but he was kind of in a hurry. He works a lot. He didn't seem very interested in becoming friends with me."

"The Goth's are like a local legend in this town."

"Because their rich," I said bitterly.

"Well, I suppose. But have you heard the story of Bella?"

I shook my head. Oh, great, more drama.

"Well, rumor has it she disappeared some odd years ago. She didn't tell anyone where she was going and she left her family behind. Alexander's her son. He was only a toddler when she disappeared. Some say she left her husband and her family because she's just that way, and others say she was taken by someone or something."

He had said it like this was some kind of science-fiction movie. I shook my head, not really interested. "I'm sure she just left her family. Things like that happen, even in rich households. Maybe she didn't want to be scoffed at around town so she just disappeared."

"But she loved Mortimer. My father said he had just married my stepmother when she disappeared, and they had one of the best marriages around. He was heartbroken when she disappeared. He couldn't even remarry because his heart was too set on her."

"Well, maybe he loved her, but she didn't love him. It's the reality of life."

"No, she loved him. Even so, she was crazy about Alexander. She used to take him around town and show him off to everyone, proudly proclaiming this was her son. Then she and her daughter Cassandra were practically attached at the hip and they told each other everything. She kissed him in public all the time. They were the 'perfect family' per say. Even if she did leave him, why would she leave her children? It just seems like there's something bigger going on."

"The most perfect of families are usually the ones with the most problems," I said bitterly.

"Well, they most definitely had something, even if they had their problems. I've only heard stories from my father, but I don't think she left voluntarily."

"Well, who was the last to see her? Surely she had to have told someone her plans."

"Don Lothario," he replied rather low, as if someone were listening. I did a double take. What? "That's the rumor that goes around. She was apparently last seen on his deck. People have tried to question him about it, but he won't give answers. He just told everyone they were friends and he had no idea what happened to her. He didn't even tell everyone whether or not she actually left his house or what she was doing there in the first place. At first the police were on him, but couldn't find any evidence that he did something to her. I tell you, he's hiding something."

"Well, that settles it. She was cheating on her husband with him and that was what she did right before she left. Mystery solved."

He sighed. "It's been over twenty years, Taylor. Her husband is dead and her children are both grown adults. Don't you think she would have come back by now if that were the case?"

Well, he had a point. If it was her husband and the town she was afraid of, she had no need to be now. And it would be about time she at least told her children she was alive. They had the right to know the truth, even if it wasn't pretty. "Well, maybe she just wanted to start fresh and never look back. Maybe she's afraid."

"Maybe you're right, but you can't knock down an old town mystery stories. I mean we're a small town with nothing to do. We love our stories."

I laughed. "Very well, then. Did you ever know the Goth's children?"

"No," he replied. "They were a bit too old for me to associate with them. However, my older brother knew their daughter. They went to the same school for a bit. He never brought up her mother, and they didn't have a fling or anything, but he said she was a very nice girl completely dedicated to family. It's a shame what Don did to her. They used to be engaged, but he was a complete player and was cheating on her with more than one other woman."

I nodded. "It's a shame. He's most definitely a jerk."

He looked at me kind of strange. "Are you alright? You say that like you have a personal hatred toward the guy."

"I just don't like players, alright," I mumbled, wanting to drop the subject.

"Well, you're not married yet. Is there a reason for that? Did you fall in love with a player?"

I felt like that was kind of a personal question to ask a girl he had just met and was working with. But it was just the two of us, so I figured it wouldn't hurt anything. "No, I didn't. I have commitment issues, alright. Let's just say my father was never around."

He nodded. "I see," he mumbled, probably feeling rather embarrassed now that he thought over what he had asked.

"What about you?" I asked right back, wanting to put him on the spot just like he did to me. "Why aren't you married yet?" I think it was safe to say he looked about my age, and judging by where he worked there was a good chance he either never had been married or was divorced.

"The opportunity has just never come up," he said rather sadly. "All my brothers except one are married."

I felt kind of bad now. He seemed like a nice guy and I was kind of being a jerk. "Well, if you want to get married, perhaps you should get a change of scenery. This town can't be your life forever."

"I know," he sighed. "But I live in a run-down apartment and work at a gas station with no one but my disappointed family to talk to. A change of scenery isn't exactly an option right now."

Well, he sounded just like me before I moved here. Maybe we had more in common than I thought. "Maybe you'll get an inheritance," I suggested.

He laughed. "Fat chance. I have three older brothers in line ahead of me, my father's a struggling musician, and my mother is unemployed with no college education. My grandparents are already dead and didn't have anything to actually leave us. I'm certainly not going to count on that."

Well, now I felt kind of bad for the guy. Maybe I had more given to me in this life than I thought. I certainly had more than him.

"So you're the youngest with no sisters?" I asked.

"Sadly, yes. But being the youngest certainly has its advantages."

I smiled. "Most definitely."

"Well, do you think you can handle this on your own tomorrow night?" he asked me.

"I think I can handle it," I replied with a smile.

Alright, so I swear I didn't like him. I just thought he was a nice guy and certainly someone I could connect with. I needed someone to connect with in this town. Plus we would be working together and it was nice to know someone had my back when I worked at a gas station.


	3. Surprises and Untold Tales

Skip continued to talk with me until he left, looking grateful there was now someone to take over the night shift so he didn't have to. But he didn't get out of it completely, because I only worked four days a week. The other three were up to him to cover. He also worked days, but I was sure he was getting paid a lot more than I was. I really liked talking to him and I found him to be a very down to earth guy. I admit, if I was actually looking to like someone I might consider him. He certainly already had my flirting sensor on, but I had to be careful because I didn't want to break the poor guy's heart. I knew that would happen if I got too involved. At this point in his life he seemed kind of desperate, and I didn't want him to think I was the answer he was looking for. I knew I wasn't. Like my mother always said: I was just like my father.

I was surprised to see a basket of muffins sitting on my porch when I woke up one morning. It had a letter inside it. I got nervous, wondering if it was from Skip asking me on a date. How would I turn him down nicely?

I opened it and was surprised to see it was from the neighbors.

We would be honored to have you for dinner tonight! We haven't had any new faces on this street for a while. My husband's off work and has agreed to it. We would love to get to know you. Let us know, and if tonight doesn't work for you we could reschedule.

Signed,

Samantha Goth

I sighed. Well, talk about neighborly welcomes. I didn't really want to go, but I didn't have work tonight and I had nothing better to do. It certainly wouldn't hurt anything to get to know my new neighbors. I never really had neighbors that liked me before, so this would be a good thing.

I arrived right on time, being nervous and wearing a dress because I didn't know what to expect. These people were rich. I was sure they were completely well mannered.

"Hello, Taylor," a lady, I assumed the one who wrote me the letter, said as she greeted me. She had long, brown hair and a cheery smile. She was certainly pretty.

"Hi," I said with a smile as she invited me in.

Their house made my grandmother's house looked like nothing. I guess they were about the same size, but their house was full of so many different objects, most of them very expensive looking. I couldn't stop looking around, and then I got embarrassed when I saw she was giving me a weird look.

"Your house is very lovely," I said in an effort to cover myself.

"I certainly hope so," she said with a smile. "I work very hard to make it that way while my husband isn't home."

I could hear some bitterness to her voice, but I didn't care. Like I told Skip; even families that seemed perfect had their problems.

Once dinner came around I was completely intimidated by their style of eating. They all seemed so perfect, and their children seemed so well behaved. Alexander kept staring at me as if this had been his wife's idea and he didn't want me here. It was kind of nerve wracking.

"So, Taylor," Sam said with a smile, "what brings you to Pleasantview?"

"I got an inheritance from my grandmother so I moved down here to claim her house."

"Well, that's nice. Alexander here got an inheritance as well. It was nice because then we could focus on what went inside the house with his money rather than the house itself. And it's been a wonderful place to raise our children."

I nodded. I desperately wanted to ask about his mother, but coming right out and asking about the rumors would be rude and I wasn't sure how to ask it casually so he wouldn't notice I was trying to be rude.

"So your parents lived here for a while?" I asked him.

He nodded. "I was born and raised here, although they weren't. They moved here when my sister was a toddler."

Alright, here was my chance. "So are either one of them still alive?"

"No, my father was very old when he had me and didn't live long after I left the house."

He didn't mention anything about his mother, but I wasn't going to push. I felt bad enough already.

His wife was eyeing him and they seemed to be having a silent conversation. "Alright, I get you're curious about the rumors," he stated.

I was rather embarrassed. "What do you mean?" I asked innocently.

"It's not a secret my mother disappeared. My parents were local legends and everyone in town knew their name. Then my mother just disappeared one day and my father was never the same."

"I've heard them, but that wasn't what I was getting at," I lied.

"Sure," he said as he eyed me. "Look, I don't know what to tell you. I want to believe some crazy rumor that she was abducted by aliens over the rumor she was cheating on my dad and then decided to take off. I don't have many memories of her, because I was very young when she disappeared, but the memories I do have of her are great. She was a great mother. I've also heard stories from my older sister and she's drilled through my head she didn't leave us and someday they would find her. It obviously never happened, but she was a good woman."

"So do you think she was murdered?" I asked nervously. If she had been murdered, I could only think of one culprit. I didn't want to believe that, though. He might have been a horrible man, but that didn't make him a murderer.

"It's possible," he said as he took a sip of his water. "The only person I could think of to do it was Don Lothario, but no evidence has come up against him. It's been twenty years and there's been nothing, so if she was the person sure did a good job."

"Well, if she was murdered at least you know she didn't leave you. I mean, that would make me feel better if I were in your shoes."

He smiled at me. "Well, thank you, Taylor. Where are you from exactly?"

"Riverblossom Hills," I replied. "It's kind of a small, farming town. My mother and I lived there for most of my life."

"So why did your grandmother live here?"

"Well, my mother was born and raised here, and I was born here but we moved when I was very young. I don't have many memories of being here."

"You were born here, really? Who's your mother? I swear my father knew and talked about every person in town."

I got nervous. Did my mother have any deep secrets when she lived here? I mean I knew her past wasn't exactly clean. "Her name is Dina Caliente."

He suddenly put his glass down and got wide eyes. I got nervous. What did he know about her?

"No way," he said, suddenly putting a smile on. "We're practically related."

I gave him a weird look. "What do you mean?"

"Well, didn't your mother ever tell you? She used to be married to my uncle. On my mother's side I mean. I never met him before he died, but I knew about your mother. They didn't have any children or anything, and my mother didn't really like her because she thought she was a bit too young for him and was only in it for his money, but they were married for many years and only broke up because he died."

"Really?" I asked in shock. "No, my mother never told me." She had never mentioned she was once married. She only told me she had a fling with my father and a few other men I didn't recognize, but being married? And then I got a bad feeling in my stomach, wondering if she was just in it for the money. I mean it was no secret my mother liked money, and she didn't date guys with nothing. She would never even think about liking someone like Skip.

"So then who's your father?" he asked, sounding kind of nervous. I wondered why he sounded nervous. I was the one that should have been nervous. Maybe he thought they had actually had a child together when they were married?

"It doesn't matter," I said quickly. "I don't really even consider him my father."

Him and his wife exchanged glances. "Is it Don Lothario?" he asked rather low.

How did he know that? Did everyone around town know they had a fling and I was the result of it?

"Yes, alright," I said bitterly. "Like I said, he's not my father. I don't know how you know him and my mother had a thing together, but it doesn't matter."

"I'm not judging you," he said as he sat back in his chair, probably trying to release some of the awkwardness from the room. "I just know a lot about this town. Like I said, my parents were local legends. They knew everyone. I'm not fond of him, and I'm sure you can guess my reasons, but that doesn't mean I would judge you."

I shook my head, finding it hard to believe him. He either killed his mother or was the person she cheated with before she left. I wouldn't blame him if he automatically hated me.

"Your mother was kind of interesting," he said casually.

"Did you know her?" I asked.

"Well, no, but I know some things. Your mother liked money, and after the death of my uncle she got a large inheritance. I'm not sure what happened, but when she moved back to Pleasantview she had nothing. Her and my father had a thing for a while, which I find kind of weird since she used to be related to him, even if only through marriage, and then he decided she was only in it for the money and cut off ties with her, telling me and my sister he wanted to die in piece, thinking about our mother rather than another woman. I was a child at the time, and I remember her a bit. I think she was pregnant with you at the time, because I remember her having a large belly more toward the end of their relationship. I asked my father if I was going to have a younger sibling and he told me no, because they weren't getting married and the child wasn't his."

I stared at him in complete shock. So my mother not only was married to some rich guy, but then had a fling with some handsome womanizer, and then did a full circle with another rich guy who was related to the first rich guy she married? What's wrong with her? She hadn't mentioned any of this to me! Didn't I have the right to know?

"I didn't know any of that," I mumbled, still in shock.

"Well, that's surprising. It was the talk of the town at the time. I think my father got tired of hearing all the rude comments about having a trophy wife and how they didn't really love each other. I don't know what's true and what's not, but it doesn't matter. I mean it's in the past now."

I nodded, still not believing all this. Was he being truthful? I don't see why he would lie about something like this. I suddenly wondered how different my life would have been had they actually got married and he was my replacement father. I would have lived it up, and would have at least had some good memories of a father before he died. I also would have had siblings, and a nice house. Man, of the three men she was with she only had a child with the one that sucked the most? This wasn't fair.

"It's really none of my business," he mumbled. "I guess I should keep my mouth shut."

"No, it's alright," I said with a straight face. "I'm glad I was able to hear this. I mean I'm in my late twenties. I have the right to know."

He nodded in agreement, and I was just thinking of all the things I wanted to say to my mother when I got home.

Dinner was a bit awkward after that, but it went fine. I thanked them for the great night as Samantha told me not to be a stranger and then I headed back home.

I called my mother, but it was kind of late and she didn't answer. "I need to talk to you ASAP," I told her answering machine. "I would prefer to talk to you in person, so please come down when you can. I'm being serious about this," I added, hoping she didn't just blow me off.

I collapsed on my bed, wondering why my life had to be nothing but drama.

She came the next day in the afternoon. From the panicked look on her face she probably thought I was dying or something. "Honey, I just got your message," she said as she answered the door. "What's wrong? You know I can help. You just need to talk to me."

"I'll tell you what's wrong," I said with a look. "Is life all about money to you?"

She gave me a strange look. "What do you mean? Money's nice, but it's certainly not everything. You know that. I mean we lived in a small apartment for the longest time. I've given you everything I could, with or without the help of your father."

"I know about you and the Goth's," I stated plainly.

She seemed to study me for a moment, as if deep in thought. "Well, I suppose all a small town has is its secrets. But it doesn't matter. It happened in the past and I've moved on to a brighter future."

"You dated a guy you used to be related to! It's like Hamlet all over again."

She laughed. "I wasn't related to Mortimer. We were merely related through marriage, and we were no longer related when I dated him. It wasn't the same thing."

"I bet you know something about Bella Goth's disappearance," I accused.

She rolled her eyes. "Oh, that line of hogwash. Don told me they had been talking for months before that night, and she wasn't happy with her relationship. She came to him with the intention of cheating, Taylor. Then she left. It's as simple as that. She left them all and then they made up a story about her disappearing so they wouldn't have to admit to themselves she had left them. I knew her vaguely when I was married to Michael, and she wasn't all that pleasant to be around. She didn't like me one bit and told Michael he could do so much better. After he died she wasn't the same person and she and Mortimer never had the perfect relationship. During my time of dating him she was all he could think about, hence the reason we didn't end up together. He loved her but she didn't love him. It was nothing but a tragic love story involving a rich family so the entire town had to make up rumors."

"But it's been twenty years. Don't you think she would have at least tried to contact her children by now?"

"Doubt it. If you knew her you would understand."

"Her son spoke very highly of her."

"Oh, so Alexander is who told you all this? He was a toddler when she left. Of course he spoke highly of the mother he barely knew. Of course he's going to hold on to the possibility she didn't leave, rather was murdered or even abducted. Don was a lot of things, but he wasn't a murderer. It's just a small town rumor."

I nodded, wondering if it was really true. How could a mother just take off and leave her children like that? I wasn't a mother and would probably never be one, but even I couldn't do that. Even my mother couldn't do that, and I knew she was far from perfect. She had it all. She had a rich husband that she could have got plenty of money from if they got divorced, two children, and a loving husband that loved her even though he was rich. Why would she leave that just to become an outcast and start a new life somewhere else? If she was really unhappy with the marriage she could have at least divorced him to keep his money and the children. It made no sense. But I wasn't going to argue with my mother anymore.

"Did you honestly love Michael?" I asked her in complete seriousness. "I know you got some money from him in which you lost somehow, but was it always about the money?"

"I did love Michael," she said in complete seriousness. "He was an honest man that I liked since I was a teenager. I was always the outcast of my age group so I never had my first kiss as a teenager. I had my eye on him but thought he was too old for me. Then after I did some growing up he started to show interest and we hit it off immediately. He was my first kiss, and boy was he a good kisser. I married him because I loved him, although the money was nice. I wasn't very smart with the money, though, and ended up losing it. That's when I came back to Pleasantview and met your father. After finding out he was sleeping with my sister I wanted nothing to do with him, and that's when I met Mortimer. I knew his clock was ticking and in all honesty I wanted some money, but he was a good guy. It didn't matter because nothing came of the little bit we had, but I would have been very happy marrying him."

I gave her a look. "I'm not sure I believe you."

"Then don't. I'm just telling you what I know."

I shook my head, wondering why I came to Pleasantview. It just seemed to be complicating my life. Not only did I have to deal with all these rumors and love triangles but I also had people asking if I was related to the guy I tried to pretend didn't exist. Skip was right; a small town loved their rumors.


	4. The Dreamers

**Chapter Four: The Dreamers**

During the next couple months I began to get fairly close to Skip. I thought he was a great guy and had a good sense of humor. He certainly respected women and told me his dreams of having a family someday. I always just smiled and nodded, wanting to scream we couldn't be together because I couldn't give him what he wanted and he deserved someone better than me. Any guy deserved someone better than me.

As he locked up that night we walked together. We did this whenever we both happened to be working during lockup, but it didn't happen a lot because for the most part our schedules were opposite of one another.

"So the guy's just standing there, and I'm feeling completely awkward," he told me. He was telling a story about his worst experience as a gas station worker. "I told him I didn't know what he was talking about and he blew up on me and started to threaten me. Thankfully this wasn't during the nightshift so I got my manager and he called the police. The guy went ballistic and scared everyone in the store. Thankfully the police got him under control, but boy was he scary."

"I thought you owned the place," I said in surprise.

"I wish," he sighed. "I just work there. Although I'm pretty high up since I've been there for so long. They just had me do the hiring process because they didn't want to do it. It's not like they're all that picky." Then he realized what he said and felt bad. "Not that I'm saying you're not a hard worker. I think you're a great worker."

"No offense taken, Skip," I said with a smirk.

I was about to say goodbye, but he wasn't finished. "Hey, Taylor, I was thinking maybe you would like to come to a little party my family is throwing next week. It will be lots of fun, and you could get to know them. My family is made up of great people."

So was he showing me off as his girlfriend to his family? I wasn't sure, but I wanted no part in this.

"Sorry, but I'm busy next week," I told him.

He gave me a weird look. "I haven't even told you when next week. You can't be busy all week."

"Oh, but I can."

He shook his head. "Taylor, I understand you have commitment issues, and I'm sorry your father was never around. But you have to understand telling yourself you're not good for anything or anyone isn't the answer. I mean, if you want to change your life for the better, I say go for it. Who's stopping you? You shouldn't make excuses."

I suddenly felt angry. Didn't he understand? "Listen, we can't be together. You deserve a great girl, but it's not going to be me. We're just co-workers who are FRIENDS. We will never be anything more."

I was expecting him to look hurt, but he seemed to stand up a little taller like he was going to try to change my mind. "Whatever you hide deep down, you should let it out. I mean we all hide something deep down. Even the Goth's hid something, which led to Bella's disappearance. If you let it out you'll feel so much better."

"Don Lothario is my father, alright!" I shouted, hoping that would make him leave me alone.

He just stared at me, seeming to be in shock. "Wait, THE Don Lothario is your father? Well, that explains so much. I get why you don't like the guy."

I just shook my head, not wanting to hear any more. "I have to go," I told him as I walked away.

"Your parents shouldn't dictate who you are, Taylor!" he shouted after me. But I wasn't listening.

I went home and cried. Why was this upsetting me so much? Maybe deep down I wanted to finally settle down and have a family. Maybe deep down I wanted someone other than my mother who would always be there for me. Maybe I just wanted someone to talk to, and I had most likely just lost even that with Skip.

Thankfully I had the next few days off, and I spent my time watching action movies. My grandmother actually had a pretty nice TV for being so old. I ate some ice-cream and just sat around, not caring if I was dooming myself to gain some weight.

That Friday I heard a knock at the door. I was expecting one of the Goths, although I had no idea what they would want with me. I thought we had established they didn't like me because of my mother and father?

I opened the door but was surprised to see Skip. He gave me a smile, and I was in too much shock to even frown back. I finally managed to pull myself together and asked, "Skip, what are you doing here?"

He suddenly got serious. "Taylor, I want to talk, and I'm not leaving until you agree to talk with me."

I just stared at him, wondering if he was being serious. "You want to talk? Alright, about what? There's nothing to talk about. I don't like you. I'm sorry if you like me, but I have no feelings for you. It's the sad truth of life."

"Can I come in?" he asked.

I was hesitant to say yes, but the guy had come all the way down here when I was fairly sure he didn't even know my exact address except that I lived on Sim Lane. I was sure this wouldn't go anywhere anyway, so why was I worried?

"Fine," I said as I opened the door and motioned for him to come inside.

He seemed to look around, just like I had when I first stepped into the Goth's house. My house wasn't that cool. It consisted mostly of stuff from a dead lady who had been really old when she lived here.

"Nice place," he told me with a smile.

"Most of this crap is my grandmothers."

He nodded, still looking around.

"Are we going to talk or what?" I asked impatiently. I wanted to get this over with.

He came and sat down on the couch. I slowly sat down next to him, wondering if he was stupid enough to try anything.

"Taylor, we all have issues in life, but some people are better off than others. I mean even the Goths had their issues. And I don't know if you've heard of the Pleasants, but they have a terrible family life even though that's not what they portray on the surface. What it comes down to is you pilot your own life, and you shouldn't dwell on what you can't change. Maybe Don Lothario is your father and he never cared enough to be a part of your life, but that shouldn't stop you from living your life. I say tell yourself it doesn't matter what he thinks and do what you want to do. You don't have to be your parents."

"You don't understand," I said, trying to hold back anger. "You have the perfect family life. You might not have a lot of money, but at least you have two parents who were always a part of your life and even siblings. I don't have any of that."

He shook his head. "I have plenty of family problems, Taylor. My father died before my mother even knew about me. She found out only weeks later she was pregnant, and then she got really sick and emotional. She met my stepfather while she was pregnant with me, and they were married a bit after I was born. He raised me, but we don't share the same last name. My mother named me after my birth father but I've never met him. I'm the youngest of four boys. My oldest brother has been in and out of jail since he was a teenager, my stepbrother is super smart and makes me look bad, and the brother just ahead of me is married and has a great family. I'm the black sheep of the family, and I know how easy it is to blame your problems on one instance. I find myself blaming my problems on never meeting my real father all the time, but at the end of the day, is that really what the problem is?"

I stared at him, trying to take in what he just said. Well, now I felt like a complete jerk. "I'm sorry, Skip," I told him, not knowing what else to say. "I'm sorry you never met your father, but you should be happy at least knowing he would have been there if he could."

"I very much am, and I know we have more of a connection than just our name. I just thought it would make you feel better to hear that. Yes, I still have my stepfather, which you don't have, but I'm not all that better off. I keep telling myself I'm not good for anything other than working a gas station, and that's terrible. I mean there's so much more out there."

I smiled at him, and surprised even myself. "Thank you, Skip," I told him with another smile. "I completely agree with you. How did you father die anyway?"

"My mother said he drowned, but she didn't really explain it to me all that much. She doesn't like to talk about it."

"I see," I said with a nod.

"So will you at least reconsider coming to my family thing?" he asked.

I sighed. I wanted to say yes, but something held me back. "I'll think about it, alright," I mumbled.

He smiled. That seemed to be good enough to keep him quiet.

Well, I ended up going to his family thing. I was super nervous, being my family never really got together except for a funeral, and even then they didn't, considering the circumstances of my grandmother's death. I was also afraid he mentioned something to his parents about my father, and the last thing I needed was a rumor like that going on in this rumor filled, small town. I had planned to keep that a secret, and now he knew. I was confident I could trust him, but I didn't exactly tell him not to tell anyone.

I heard the sound of something really old and noisy coming up to my house. I didn't have to look outside to know it was Skip's car. I always knew he had an old, beat up car. Yet, it didn't really bother me. I liked his old car. I thought it gave him class.

I came outside, not feeling like inviting him in. He gave me a smile as he came out of the car. "Sorry my car's so noisy," he told me. "I've been needing to get it fixed."

"It's better than my car," I mumbled.

He gave me a weird look. "What car do you have?"

"That's the thing; I don't have a car."

He laughed. "Well, I don't have a huge house like you do, so don't feel picked on."

He turned on this weird Indie music as we drove. I didn't say anything, but I found his music taste to be rather strange. Couldn't he just listen to pop like a normal person?

We finally pulled up to a house, and I was surprised to see how small it was. Sure, I had lived in a run-down apartment for most of my life, but I assumed I would have a decent sized house once I got old enough. These people looked like they never moved up. It was kind of sad.

Skip looked nervous as we got out of the car. I assumed this came back to what he said about never being good enough for his family and that was why he never did anything with his life. I wanted to make him feel better, but I wasn't sure I knew how. I didn't even know his family.

He knocked briefly and then just invited himself inside. Well, at least he was comfortable enough around them not to have to knock.

He was greeted immediately by a short and small woman. I knew he didn't have a sister, so I was left to assume this was his mother.

"Skip, hello," she said with a smile as she attacked him with a hug. He looked rather embarrassed, and I couldn't help but smile. "You never call me, so for all I know you could have been beat up and left on the street somewhere. You should consider calling every now and again."

"Sorry, mom," he said with a smile. "I get busy."

"Who's your girlfriend?" a guy said as he came up and looked at me. I wasn't sure who he was, but I assumed it was one of his brothers.

"This is Taylor," he said with a smile. Well, I wished he would have corrected him, but I assumed maybe he thought that at this point. Why didn't that bother me? "Taylor, this is my older brother Dustin."

He hadn't mentioned names when he talked about them, but to be honest this guy was most likely the one that wasn't married and had been in and out of jail since he was a teenager. He had tattoos all up his arms as well as an eyebrow piercing. I certainly wouldn't want to run into him in a dark alley.

"I'm Brandi," his mother said with a smile. "It's nice to meet you, Taylor. I was beginning to get worried Skip would never get married."

Skip's face flushed several shades of red, and I didn't look much better. "We're not getting married. It's WAY too early to be thinking about that."

"Yes, of course. I mean don't let me make this awkward for you guys."

Well, it was a little late for that. I looked over to Skip and he was silently apologizing. I just smiled at him, indicating it was alright. Mothers did things like that. It came with the job.

The rest of his family started to file in. I saw three men, although one looked much older than the other two. "Taylor, this is Beau, my older brother, and Dirk, my other older brother. And this is my father." He pointed to each of them as he introduced me. I could tell which one was his stepbrother and that his father wasn't his biological one. I didn't mean to sound racist, but his father had kind of dark skin along with his stepbrother. I knew they couldn't be biologically related from Skip's skin color, because dark skin tended to be more dominant than light skin.

"Hi there," his father said with a smile. "I'm Darren Dreamer." I shook his hand, which was colder than I was expecting. But he had a warm smile. I wondered what was with the weird last names. Broke? Dreamer? Then again, I guess my name wasn't much better. In fact, it was probably worse. I was always mad at my mother for giving me his stupid last name. It described him perfectly, but it didn't describe me. I would have rather had her last name. But I guess I had getting married and changing my last name to look forward to. Well, if I even got married at that.

Not long after that I met their wives, and they seemed nice enough. Dirk's wife seemed to like to brag, and Beau's wife seemed super sweet all around.

"Dirk just got another promotion," she bragged. "He's always getting promoted. Our daughter is a very spoiled little girl."

From the looks of it I thought she might have been pregnant, but I wasn't for sure and I didn't want to bring it up and make her mad if she wasn't.

"Beau and I are doing great as well," the other woman said with a smile. She I knew for sure was pregnant. She looked pretty far along. I was assuming this was their first child because I didn't see another child tagging around them like with Dirk and his wife.

"Well, I'm doing fine, thanks for asking," Dustin said. "I just got a new car and things are looking up."

"What kind of car is it?" Dirk asked as if challenging it.

"A shiny one," Dustin replied. Dirk seemed to find this funny and I had to keep format least showing a smile.

"Where's your girlfriend, Dustin?" Beau asked. "I mean even Skip has one now. You have no excuse."

"What's that supposed to mean?" Skip asked with a look. Wow, he wasn't kidding when he said he was never good enough for them. That was kind of mean, even if they weren't trying to be.

"I didn't mean it like that," he said in defense. "You've just never brought a girl home before, so I'm kind of shocked. Now Dustin needs a girlfriend."

"Not happening," Dustin mumbled. "Girls are more trouble than they're worth."

I had nothing to say to that. He was right. Or at least I thought so.

We got dinner started and I got more nervous by the minute. These people seemed like a great family, and I didn't want to be the one to ruin that. But I guess they had their share of heartache with Skip's father dying before he was even born and all. Plus there was Dustin, who made Skip look like the good son.

"How long have you lived here, Taylor?" his mother asked me as everyone began to pass things around.

"Only for a few months," I replied. "I inherited a house from my grandmother when she passed away, so I ended up here."

"Wow," Dustin said in shock. "She even has a nice place for you to live, Skip," he mocked.

Skip gave him a look. "Shut up," he mumbled.

"Really?" his mother asked. "Well, that's great. Where do you live?"

"Over on Sim Lane next to the Goths," I replied.

"Well, then," she said, a smile suddenly forming on her face. "You live in the rich part of town."

I suddenly started to get self-conscious. Why did that matter?

"You know Darren used to have a history with Cassandra," she said with a bit of a smirk.

Darren, Skip's stepfather, turned to her and gave her a look.

"What do you mean history?" I asked, suddenly interested.

She laughed. "He used to have a huge crush on her."

"It was more than just a crush," Dirk said with a smirk. "He used to tell me he was going to marry her."

"I was stupid, alright," Darren mumbled. "Her head was full of hot air. She had all this money and we were good friends. She used to tell me she wanted a family someday and I knew that idiot Don wouldn't give her what she wanted. Then he broke her heart and I thought it was my chance, but she wasn't interested. Then I met Brandi and I realized how full of herself she really was. We got married and we're still married years down the road, so obviously it wasn't meant to be with Cassandra. Last I heard she left Pleasantview with no plans to come back. I guess after the incident with her mother and all she felt like she just needed to leave. I would have."

"I've met Alexander, but I don't think I've ever met her."

"He's the only one who still knows her whereabouts but he refuses to tell anyone," Dustin explained. "He told us all it was her business and no one should get involved. I guess she doesn't want to talk to anyone from Pleasantview. Maybe her life isn't going so well and she doesn't want anyone to know that."

He laughed at his own joke as his mother gave him a look.

"Her mother left, Dustin," Beau's wife barked. "How would you feel if your mother just got up and left?"

Dustin seemed to ponder this, but Brandi didn't seem like she wanted to know the answer. "She didn't leave," she stated. "Don Lothario did something to her, although I don't know what. He's just been good with covering up his tracks so there's no evidence. Everyone thinks she was cheating on Mortimer with him, but I think she turned him down and he was mad because he had never had that happen before. Mortimer even said the last he heard from her she was going to his house to welcome him to the neighborhood. She never came back. He keeps changing his story whenever the police asked, and she won't even talk about it to anyone else. He's hiding something."

"Don Lothario is a lot of things, but he's not a murderer," I stated.

"The guy is a huge jerk and gives all men a bad name," she said with a look. "I wouldn't put something like this passed him."

"Mom, cut it out," Skip said, looking rather nervous.

"Why are you standing up for him?" she asked.

I sighed. Well, it was now or never. "He's my father," I stated. "I have this certain obligation."

She stared at me in shock. But she wasn't the only one. The only one who didn't look surprised was Skip, and he looked like he had a headache.

"Don Lothario is your father?" she asked. "Oh, I'm so sorry. I shouldn't be talking badly about your father. But I must say; I didn't know he had a daughter. I'm not good friends with the guy but this town is so small I thought I would know things like that."

"Surprise," I said with no emotion.

"I couldn't see him having children," Dustin said. "He just seems like the type of guy who wants fun but with no responsibility associated with it."

"Reminds me of someone I know," Dirk mumbled.

Dustin gave him a look.

"Anyone can be a parent, Dustin," Brandi said. "I must admit I couldn't picture him being a good one, but I could be wrong. But who's your mother?"

"I can narrow it down to five people," Dustin said.

This time it was Skip that gave him the look. I would have laughed if I wasn't in such a bad mood. He was actually right.

"Dina Caliente," I replied. "They're no longer together, though."

Brandi looked shocked and Dustin laughed. "So he was totally playing sisters," he said.

I looked down, not needing to be reminded my father was such a player he was with both my mother and my aunt, and he left the one he got pregnant.

"Dustin, enough," Brandi said with a look. "That's too bad, Taylor, but I'm sure your father's a good guy. I mean we all make mistakes."

"Just a minute ago you were telling me he murdered Bella Goth."

She looked lost for words. I didn't want to start anything, but she seemed kind of two faced. "What I meant was he had something to do with her disappearance. I mean murder is a big accusation. She was last seen going to his house so you can't blame me for thinking he had something to do with it. Maybe he didn't murder her, but something happened. That's all I'm saying."

I wasn't buying it, but Skip looked like he was ready for this party to end. I bet he was having regrets about bringing me now. I picked at my food, wanting this conversation to end. I didn't want to mention I was sticking up for a guy I hadn't seen in years, and really didn't care to be a father at that.

"Why don't we talk about something else?" Darren suggested. "How is your mother doing, Taylor?" he asked me. "I knew her vaguely when she lived here, but not extremely well."

"She's fine," I replied. "She doesn't live here anymore, obviously."

"Where does she live now?"

"Riverblossom Hills. We both lived there until just recently when I moved back here."

He nodded. "And she never remarried or had any more children?"

I wanted to tell him if she remarried she wouldn't actually love the guy, because she had a habit of doing that, and having more children was completely out of the question. She didn't even want me, let alone another child. "No. I was enough for her."

He nodded, seeming to study me. "And dare I ask how your father's doing? I see him around, but we don't know each other."

"Fine," I replied simply, not wanting to say I didn't really know since we never talked.

"Why don't we talk about something not related to Taylor," Skip said with a look. At this moment, I seriously wanted to kiss him. I was so thankful to hear him say that.

"Fine," his mother said with a smile. "How are you doing, Skip? Like I said, you never call."

"I'm doing fine," Skip replied simply.

"Still working at that run-down gas station?" Dirk asked with somewhat of a smirk.

"Yes. But it doesn't matter."

"If he didn't work there where would you go to get gas?" I asked him.

He seemed to find my question humorous. "Some other loser would work there if he wasn't, so I would still get gas."

His mother shot him a look. But it was nothing compared to the look Skip was giving him. "Well, then I guess that loser would be me, because I work there too."

He seemed lost for words as Dustin laughed, probably thinking we were perfect for each other because I was just at pathetic as he was.

"Alright, why don't we talk about something else?" his mother said nervously. "Beau, are you excited for your first child?"

"Yes," his wife answered for him. "We've been going all out with baby things. I'm just so excited it's a girl. He literally has to pull me away from the baby isle at the supermarket because I'm in love with everything. I'm already starting to quilt her a blanket."

"And I'm excited for my first granddaughter. I was beginning to think I would never have a daughter of any kind. I might not have been lucky enough to get a girl child, but now I at least have a granddaughter."

"Skip should have been a girl," Dustin said with a smirk.

"Who's ready for dessert?" she said as she stood up, not giving them enough time to argue with each other any longer.

Dessert consisted of some kind of berry pie. It was actually pretty good. She was certainly a great cook. Everyone else seem to think so too because for the first ten minutes there was a lot of chewing and not a lot of talking going on.

"I hope you all like the pie," his mother said. "It's mixed berry. I made it from the stuff in our garden."

So it was homemade with fresh grown ingredients? Wow! No wonder it tasted so good.

"Your cooking is always amazing, Brandi," Darren said with a smile.

I studied them for a minute. Had they honestly been together all this time? Was that even possible? My mother was the perfect example of why falling in love wasn't possible period, but then they fell in love and were still together long after all their kids were grown and raised. That's what I wanted, but I was afraid I would never get it. I never saw happy endings growing up.

Brandi had to give us a speech before we all finally left. "I'm so thankful for my wonderful family. You're all so great."

I shook my head. I wasn't her family, so she wasn't talking to me. "I should go," I told Skip, not wanting to impede of their family any longer.

"Of course," he said with a smile. "Just let me say goodbye and we can head out."

"Goodbye, mom," he said as he waved goodbye to Brandi.

"You're not leaving already, are you, Skip?" she asked. "Well, I suppose if you really want to go, but consider calling me every now and again. I didn't even know you had a girlfriend. That proves how out of the loop I am."

"Fine," he said simply. "I guess I'll try."

She then gave him a kiss that followed a hug and he looked rather embarrassed. "Mom, I'm thirty-two years old. Don't kiss me."

She laughed and then sighed. "Sorry, Skip. I wouldn't want to embarrass you in front of Taylor."

I was trying not to smirk. It wasn't that I found him pathetic; I just found his reaction funny. I could care less if he kissed his mother. Sometimes I wished my mother would kiss me, but we didn't show our feelings at our house. Even talking about them was stupid.

We got back in the car and I felt a little flustered when he opened the door for me. I got in as he got in the front seat. "I didn't mean to take you away from your family," I mumbled.

"Don't worry about it, Taylor," he said as he started the car. "I can only handle so much of them anyway."

I smiled. If my mother knew what was going on she would have a field day. I had been in a few relationships before, but nothing serious because I always broke it off. I was afraid the same thing was about to happen, and I didn't want to hurt Skip. He wasn't like any of the other guys I had dated before.

"I'm sorry if my family made you feel uncomfortable. My mother doesn't really like your father, obviously. She's convinced he had something to do with Bella's disappearance and he broke their family apart. And my family just likes to make me look bad, as you could tell."

"It's fine," I lied. "Thanks for standing up for me, though."

"Anything for you, Taylor," he said with a smile. My heart skipped a beat. I didn't want to break his heart. He seemed to really like me. I knew I shouldn't have agreed to go to this.

We pulled up in front of my house and I immediately got out, not giving him time to open my door. I stood by the front of my house and just stared up at it. My life seemed almost too perfect now.

"What's wrong, Taylor?" he asked me as he came up.

"Nothing," I mumbled. "It's just been a long night. I need to get to bed."

"Would I be overstepping if I asked for a little kiss before we parted?"

I totally wasn't expecting that. How would I let him down easily? But the thing was, there was something inside of me that wanted to kiss him. I didn't know why. I could count on one hand the number of kisses I had had in my lifetime, and none of them actually meant something to me. I kissed because that was what boys and girls were supposed to do, not because I actually wanted to kiss the person. But I wanted to kiss Skip. Maybe I was going crazy, but I just wanted to see what it was like. It had been so long, and never would someone I actually wanted to kiss.

"Promise not to tongue me," I said with a look.

He laughed. "Of course I wouldn't tongue you, Taylor. It's only our first kiss."

We both leaned in and I shut my eyes, extremely nervous and not even sure if I remembered how to kiss. Our lips meant, and he kept his promise. It was simple yet sweet, and by far the best kiss I could ever remember having. It didn't last long, and before I knew it it was over.

He smiled at me while I wasn't sure what to think. "Goodnight, Taylor," he told me with that same smile. "I hope to see you again soon."

I nodded, wondering if he considered us dating by this point. I wasn't really sure if he honestly wanted to be my boyfriend or if he just wanted someone to show off to his parents.

"Goodnight," I said back, finding my own voice rather squeaky.

I watched him get into his car and drive off. I just stood there, letting the cold night air blow through my hair. I finally went inside and sat down on the couch. This had been one crazy night.


End file.
